I shall recount, in strict accordance with the scriptures (shastra-sammata), the history preceding the arrival of the Gauda Saraswat Brahmin community in this world, their settlements, traditions, principles, and righteous conduct (vartana), so that all may understand them clearly.
1. "O compassionate one, I have heard that, unable to endure the agony of the severe famine, some perished, while others dispersed in all directions in the hope of survival. Amidst them, what did Sage Saraswata do for his sustenance against hunger? And not knowing how he survived, doubts arise in my mind." ||1||
2. In reply, the revered Yati said with a gentle smile: "When the famine struck ferociously, people fled their ancestral dwellings leaving no one behind. How can I depict the utter ruin of those twelve continuous years? Experiencing multifaceted tribulations, unable to contemplate higher knowledge, they did whatever they could merely for the sake of survival (hotteya paadu). ||2||
3. Saraswata, the son of Dadhichi, performed his daily obligatory rites (nitya-karmas) without fail on the banks of the sacred Saraswati River. The scorching heat of the drought afflicted him as well. Finding no way forward, as he set out intending to discover a means to survive, a disembodied celestial voice (ashareeravani) echoed from the river; he was struck with wonder. ||3||
4. 'Child, halt! To which land are you departing? In my lap, I shall provide you five or six dead fish (mrita-matsya). Eating them, preserving the scriptures from being forgotten, and protecting all the Brahmins of the world from becoming objects of mockery, live in a manner that causes the world to gaze upon you with astonishment; an eminent personage (Mahapurusha) shall enlighten you on the remaining matters.' ||4||
5. Hearing the words of Mother Saraswati, while Saraswata was pondering who that great soul might be and whether he would manifest or not, a voice as profound and solemn as the ocean echoed: 'O Viprottama, eat the fish offered before you by Lord Varuna.' ||5||
6. Hearing this divine command, the Dvija asked: 'O noble soul, will you not dispel the doubt of my mind by revealing who you are, commanding me thus while remaining unseen?' When Bhargava (Parashurama) revealed his divine form, the Dvija fell at his lotus feet and praised him; thereupon, Bhargava spoke: ||6||
7. 'O Dvijottama, I am Bhargava, arrived here on the pretext of a pilgrimage for your protection. Regarding what I declare as the very essence of the Vedas, partake of the fish. Auspiciousness shall follow hereafter.' ||7||
8. Hearing those words, Saraswata said: 'O great soul, Protector of the Universe, it is improper to obey your command to consume dead fish (mrita-matsya). How am I to accept this novel practice?' Thereupon, Parashurama said: 'Listen to my words! ||8||
9. One must first strive to keep the living physical body healthy; only through that is everything else made possible. If life itself is extinguished, what can one possibly accomplish? Consuming the dead fish available before you and preserving your mortal frame is your indispensable duty today. Later, when the body regains strength, you can propitiate Indra and other celestial deities through sacred teaching (adhyapana) and sacrificial rites (yajnas). ||9||
10. Pleased by the sacrificial shares of oblations (havir-bhaga) offered in the yajna, the deities will shower rain. Grains will flourish. Grass will grow across the earth, satisfying the cows. Milk and ghee will be obtained in abundance, and sacred sacrifices and rites will continue uninterrupted. ||10||
11. Brahman is the cosmos itself. This Brahman, manifest in individual form (vyashti), is established within the yajna. Sacrifices proceed through rites ordained by the Vedas (vedokta-karma). Those sacrifices are made possible only through living individuals. Living beings subsist on food (anna). Food is derived from grain (dhanya). Grain grows from rain. Reflect: in this world, life-breath (prana) is the primal cause of everything! ||11||
12. Therefore, this entire universe is Brahman, and its sustenance is attained through yajna. Knowing this, perform the sacrifice. O sanctified soul, you shall attain welfare; execute this ordained duty without hesitation. My command shall bring you supreme good. If you do not eat, just as a mighty tree falls and perishes, you will first lose your life-breath and subsequently all the sacred scriptures (shastras). ||12||
13. If you now eat this fish and preserve your life, all the scriptures shall be preserved.' Thereupon, Saraswata folded his hands and prayed: 'O Viprottama, graciously expound the prescribed rites and injunctions (vidhi-vidhana) for the consumption of fish.' Then Bhargava spoke: ||13||
14. 'In the twelfth, tenth, eighth, sixth, and fifth months (lunar months), on Wednesdays, Saturdays, Mondays, and Tuesdays, without indolence, one must collect fish that have died naturally in the water. Arranging them properly in the courtyard, purifying them with sacred consecrated water (tirthodaka) and fire, cutting them into pieces, they must be fried in oil. Fashioning a sacred earthen sacrificial altar (sthandila) upon the ground and consecrating the sacred fire, ||14||
15. chanting the Rigvedic verse Tat tvā yāmi, one must offer ten oblations into the blazing fire with the mantra Varuṇāya svāhā, Varuṇāya idaṁ na mama. Thereafter, Brahmins, Kshatriyas, and Vaishyas may eat it and abide in health. Should any Dvija fail to obey this command of mine, let him be deemed the basest of Brahmins (Brahmanadhama)!' ||15||
16. Pronouncing this curse, he added: 'Hereafter, my command must always be observed without omission. On holy sacred days (punya-divasas), this cooked meat must be strictly avoided; on other days, no sin shall touch you upon partaking of it.' Bestowing the divine grace of his spiritual power (tapas), Bhargava continued his holy pilgrimage. ||16||
17. I have expounded in detail all that has been recorded in the Sahyadri Khanda of the Skanda Purana, the Gada Parva of the Mahabharata, the Suta Samhita, and the Brahmanda Purana. In accordance with the command of Parashurama, Saraswata brought fish and performed sacrifices with them. ||17||
18. Pleased by the shares of that sacrifice, the celestial deities joyfully poured down rain. Everywhere, the lamentation of mankind was pacified. Mother Earth turned lush and green with vegetation (sasya-shyamale). Trees bore blossoms and fruits. All the Dvijas rejoiced, realizing they had survived, and deliberated on ways to regain their lost scriptural knowledge and sacred sacraments (samskaras). ||18||
19. Searching, they found Saraswata, learned the shastras from him, and performed the sacred sacraments. Those sixty thousand Dvijas attained profound scholarship. I have recounted, substantiated with authentic proofs, how that deep devotion and reverence toward his Guru-lineage (gurutva) took root from that day forth." ||19||
20. "I am supremely gratified. By the grace of the Supreme Lord, my cherished desire has been fulfilled. My doubt has been dispelled, and my mind has become pristine. Kindly explain in detail when and where these virtuous Saraswats moved from the original place of their settlement," Muddana requested. ||20||
21. The revered Yati spoke: "During the time when Parashurama was away on his pilgrimage, King Kartaviryarjuna, accompanied by his retinue while hunting, arrived at the hermitage (ashrama) of Sage Jamadagni around midday mealtime. ||21||
22. When Maharshi Jamadagni invited him to partake of a meal before departing, the king consented. When the sage made a prayer to the ashram's Kamadhenu (celestial wish-fulfilling cow), a sumptuous feast endowed with all six tastes (shadrasopeta bhojana) was instantly prepared. ||22||
23. The sage served the king an opulent feast comprising boundless delicacies, dishes to be masticated (bhakshya-bhojya), licked (lehya), and sucked (chosya). When the origin of such an extraordinary feast was investigated, the secret of Kamadhenu came to light. Claiming that such a treasure belonged rightfully to a king and not to an ascetic like him, the king demanded it; when the sage refused, he carried it away by force. ||23||
24. At the very juncture when the king forcibly abducted the divine cow, Parashurama returned from his pilgrimage. Hearing this news, he blazed with fury like Pralaya Rudra (the Destroyer at the cosmic dissolution). Proclaiming: 'Born in the lineage of Maharshis, because the king has inflicted grievous injury upon my father, I cannot rest without offering all the Kshatriyas on this earth as oblations unto my battle-axe (Parashu)!'— ||24||
25. Taking a solemn vow, he slew the Kshatriyas in his wrath, fulfilled the desires of the Vipras, stayed at holy pilgrimage centers, circumambulated the earth twenty-one times, eradicated the Kshatriya lineages of Kartaviryarjuna and others, and magnanimously gifted the kingless earth (vasudha) to Sage Kashyapa, the crest-jewel of the Bhoosura assembly. ||25||
26. Kashyapa did not possess the temporal might to govern the entire earth. Deeming that such ascetics should not bear the burden of political rulership, he partitioned this land into two halves for the ten classes of Brahmins: he gifted Aryavarta, shining like an earthly heaven, to the Gauda Brahmins, and the remaining Sahyavarta to the assembly of Dravida Brahmins. ||26||
27. From that day, enmity developed between the Gaudas and the Dravidas. While the Gaudas received the land of pure spiritual merit (punya-bhumi), the Dravidas received the land considered deficient (dosha-poorna). Thus, mutual discord intensified day by day. To Bhargava, who was wandering as an ascetic, they declared that he must not dwell upon the land he had gifted away. ||27||
28. 'Is it proper for you to reside upon the very land you have donated in charity? Does it not invite the grave sin of expropriating a gifted land (dattaapahara-dosha)? Go elsewhere; you must not remain here!'—when the Dravidas declared this with obstinate hostility, Bhargava Rama departed in dejection. ||28||
29. Deep sorrow tormented Bhargava. Ascending the peak of the Sahyadri mountains in grief, he found no way forward. At that moment, Sage Narada arrived. Bhargava welcomed Narada, and Narada spoke with a gentle smile: ||29||
30. 'O Parashurama, why do you grieve? You are the supreme deity of the entire cosmos; foolish mortals have spoken thoughtlessly. Does a majestic elephant become bewildered when dogs bark? Grieve not. Reclaim whatever land you desire from the midst of the ocean!' Consenting to those words, Parashurama rose to translate them into action. ||30||
31. Rising and taking his bow in hand, he shot fourteen formidable arrows that struck terror. The waters surged upward, revealing rocks and fertile soil. The celestials rejoiced. A land measuring three yojanas in width and a hundred yojanas in length, shaped like a winnowing basket (shurpakara), stretched out captivating eye and mind. ||31||
32. It was hailed as 'Chaudachala' and 'Rama-srishti'; because a corner (kona) rose straight out of the ocean (samudra), that sacred territory became celebrated as Konkana. Performing austerities (tapas) there, Bhargava prayed to Lord Shiva (Kamari): 'May all the sacred tirthas on earth, the eighteen great medicinal herbs (bharoshadhis), the twelve Jyotirlingas, trees, shrubs, and creepers, ||32||
33. jambu (rose-apple), dadimba (pomegranate), panasa (jackfruit), chuta (mango), nimba (neem), jambira (citron), badari (jujube), narikela (coconut), pristine wells filled with sweet water, lakes, rivers, sandalwood, red vermilion (kunkuma), agaru, kadali (plantain), kadamba, pooga (areca nut), jasmine (mallige, jaaji, malati), lotuses, renje, sampige (champak), nagavalli (betel vines), coral, gemstones, and all precious metals— ||33||
34. —and furthermore, may the flourishing presence of all fine arts, spiritual glories, perpetual auspicious yields, longevity, robust health, diverse skills, spiritual merit (punya), true dharma, and abundant righteous rains abide forever in this soil. O Parameshvara, by our joint grace, let this kshetra remain eternally sacred!' When he prayed thus, Lord Ashutosha (Shiva) granted the imperishable boon (akshaya-vara) that this land would flourish ever increasingly. ||34||
35. By the time the various parts of Konkana created through extraordinary Bhagavata power coalesced, Bhargava's ancestors had passed away to the heavenly realm. Performing their funeral and post-death obsequies (oordhvadehika), he continued to reside in Konkan. As time passed, he invited the Dravida Brahmins for the ancestral Shraddha feast. Owing to past animosity, they refused to come. Thereupon, he created new Dvijas. ||35||
36. Those Dvijas came to be known as Barbaras; he settled them in the eastern region of Konkan. For the Shraddha of the following year, they too failed to turn up. He then created new Brahmins—these were the Chittapavans. He provided them a dwelling in the second Konkan; when they too deceived him, he created the Karhadis (Karadhas). ||36||
37. He allotted the third Konkan to them. When they too proved deceitful, he created fresh Dvijas anew and gave them the fifth Konkan. When they proved unfaithful, abandoning those Havyakas, he conferred Brahminhood upon the Taulavas (Tuluvas). When they did not arrive, he administered the sacred sacraments unto the Malayalis. ||37||
38. He gifted the seventh Konkan to those Malayalis. They too failed him during the Shraddha. Becoming enraged, he established sub-branches such as Kashmirapadhyas, Golakas, Shakyas, Devagukhirus, Vaikhanasas, Belanjis, and Vajasaneyas. When they too displayed base pettiness, Bhargava pronounced a curse upon them: ||38||
39. 'In the fifth Konkan, let the drinking of liquor prevail. In the seventh Konkan, let there be reprehensible outcastes (avadya-chandala), semi-clad attire, and impure food (kadanna). In the third Konkan, let the sin of Brahmin-slaughter (Brahma-hatya) occur, and in the second, let degraded livelihoods multiply. ||39||
40. In the sixth, let the consumption of stale, cold food (sheetanna-bhojana) prevail!'—thus did the curse attach itself. Listen now to the long-standing blemishes traditionally noted across other territories: in Tirhut, the consumption of fish (jhasha-bhakshana); in Kanoj, the eating of meat; in Kanyakubja, cohabitation with a brother's wife; ||40||
41. in the Dravida country, cohabitation with maidservants (dasi-gamana) and the eating of cold food; in Karnataka, cleaning teeth with twigs repeatedly; in Telanga, mounting bulls; in Gujarat, widows wearing bodices (sa-kanchuka vidhavas); and in Navakaccha (Kutch), drinking water carried in leather vessels—these are all regional customs noted from antiquity, with ample authoritative texts showing they were customary practices. ||41||
42. I have recounted without omission the history of these curses and regional traits. When none of these groups proved useful for his sacred undertakings, Bhargava proceeded to Madhya Konkana (Central Konkan); near Harihareshwara, he established Mukteshwara, Khadiratirtha, Kalupesha, Banaganga, Saraswati, and Ramakunda, alongside monastic settlements (matha-gramas), ||42||
43. Kaduvulam, the holy Goraksha Tirtha, and the sacred presence of all the tirthas existing on earth, constructing sacred kshetras, agraharas, diverse trees, shrubs, enchanting groves, villages, hills, and lakes; dwelling by the side of Govachala (Goa), he deliberated upon the duties of the Brahmins. ||43||
44. 'The transgression of destroying the Kshatriyas over twenty-one cycles is immense—especially for me, who am a Dvija. Performing a grand fire sacrifice (maha-yaga) right where I abide can alone serve as authentic expiation (prayashchitta). I must summon pure Dvijas and entrust this responsibility unto them,' he reflected. ||44||
45. Among the ten divisions of Brahmins in the world, sacred conduct had been established among the Dravidas historically through the Gauda Saraswats. Therefore, resolving first to shower favors upon the Gauda Saraswats so that the merit of their gratitude would bless the sacrifice, he prepared to bring them. ||45||
46. At that time, their settlement extended along the banks of the Saraswati River in Trihotrapura (Tirhut) within the Panchanada (Punjab) country. Bringing those virtuous families belonging to the ten gotras and sixty-six lineages (kulas), along with their tutelary serpent and family deities (Shesha-kuladevatas), he arrived in Madhya Konkana. ||46||
47. Madhya Konkana shone resplendent across an expanse of sixteen yojanas between two rivers. There, with great delight, gifting them eight agraharas, twenty-three sacred kshetras, and the conglomerate of villages known as Sasashti (Salcete), he settled them comfortably, and through them, Lord Vasudeva Ramesha Bhargava had a splendid, auspicious sacrifice performed at Haramala (Arambol)." ||47||
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